


Shiver (day 17-hypothermia)

by Only_Slightly_Obsessed (A_Stressed_Cupcake)



Series: Rémy's 2020 Multifandom Whumptober Works [17]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Because Valjean is a good dad, Canonical Child Abuse, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Parent Valjean, Past Child Abuse, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:15:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27070321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Stressed_Cupcake/pseuds/Only_Slightly_Obsessed
Summary: The first thing that Cosette asks for when she finds the strength to ask is a blanket.______Whumptober 2020-day 17: Hypothermia
Relationships: Cosette Fauchelevent & Jean Valjean
Series: Rémy's 2020 Multifandom Whumptober Works [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1965271
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Shiver (day 17-hypothermia)

**Author's Note:**

> Cw implied child abuse

The first thing that Cosette asks for when she finds the strength to ask is a blanket.

The first thing, when she’s seventeen years old and they live in a house at last, the first thing she asks for is a blanket. It takes her a very long time. She was not allowed to own much back at the convent, and what little she owned was in the custody of her father for all but one hour every day. And it was not so bad, it really wasn’t, sleeping in the convent.

But there were times, before the spring equinox came to colour the flowers, when a little gust of rebellious breeze would blow in through a crack in the wall and run up to her, and kiss her cheek with icy lips. And she would shiver, then, and tremble, and curl up on herself like she was used to, even though the warmth of her bed was ten times more pleasant than the cold of her old resting place in Montfermeil. 

But Cosette feels the cold, still, she always has. 

When they move away, when her first winter outside the convent finds her shivering in her new bed, she stumbles out of her room and finds her father, sitting quietly before those candlesticks he carries with him everywhere, praying silently.

“Papa.” she calls, and he turns to look at her with all the grace of a man caught off-guard.

“Cosette, my dear, why are you still awake? Did you have a nightmare?”

“No.” she shakes her head, “No, Papa, I never fell asleep. I could not. I feel quite cold.”

“Cold?”   
“Yes. May I-” 

Her voice gets stuck in the back of her throat, stubborn, and shameful, and the words refuse to leave her mind. Her father tilts his head in concern.

“Yes, Cosette?”

She takes a deep breath.

“I would like-”

Nothing. The words will not come to her. Asking, no matter how many times he says that it’s alright, asking for something simply does not come natural to her. Every time, some part of her fears that his kind eyes will turn as cold as the wind outside, and deny her even what she has now, the blankets, the bed, even the clothes on her back.

But his expression doesn’t change. He waits, patient, kind, for her to say something.

She breathes in.

“I would like another blanket, please.” she whispers, just loud enough for him to hear.

Her father smiles: “Of course, Cosette. Here…”

He stands, his interrupted prayers seemingly not bothering him in the least, and makes his way to the laundry closet.

He gives her two blankets and a kiss on the temple as goodnight.

For the first time in years, Cosette doesn’t feel cold that winter.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this one came out kinda fluffy but Cosette still needs all the hugs.
> 
> -Rémy


End file.
